How are synaptic adhesion molecules involved in functional gastrointestinal disorders?

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K21605
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 53:Organ-based internal medicine and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Aruga Jun 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(医学系), 教授 (10232076)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 機能性消化管障害 / シナプス接着分子 / 機能性ディスペプシア / 過敏性腸症候群 / 遺伝子改変マウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In our previous studies, we observed mild body weight loss in neuronal Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins-deficient mice that show various neurological signs similar to anxiety, depression, and sensory dysfunction. In this study, we hypothesized that some LRR proteins are invovled in regulating brain-gut interaction. Based on the hypothesis, we carried out detailed analysis on the funtion and molecular marker changes in LRR proteins-deficient mice. We collected critical data including the body weight changes in LRR protein-deficient mice, features of their feeding behaviors, and contractility of their intestines. To further verify above hypothesis, we started generating conditional knockout for some LRR protein-coding genes.

Free Research Field

神経生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の完遂により、以下の点が期待できる。
（１）脳腸相関の実体を分子レベルから、より良く理解することができる。（２）機能性消化管障害の治療法改善に貢献できる。（３）機能性消化管障害と不安・抑うつとの関係性について、新たな仮説を検証でき、新たな研究展開につながる。（４）この研究の過程で作成された遺伝子改変動物は成果発表後、公共の実験動物リソース維持機関で維持され、医学生物学研究に広く利用されるようになる。